Flash mob among Great American Smokeout events at University of Alabama

By Morgan TaylorSpecial to The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 12:03 a.m.

As part of Thursday’s 38th annual Great American Smokeout, the University of Alabama’s health education honor society will form a flash mob to show their support for a smoke-free campus.

Facts

Great American Smokeout events at the University of Alabama

-- 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday: The commemorative exhibit “The Surgeon General vs. The Marlboro Man: Who Really Won?” will be in the Pearce Foyer of the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library. There will be a showing of a 25-minute documentary and a panel discussion afterward.-- 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Thursday: On the Quad in front of the Gorgas Library, there will be referral forms for the state hotline, tobacco cessation tools and resources and the opportunity to win “cold turkey” sandwiches.

Photo Galleries

The flash mob will gather on the Quad near Denny Chimes around 12:20 p.m. The group effort is designed to raise awareness about the negative effects of secondhand smoke. Roughly 135 students on the Quad will drop “dead” from secondhand smoke in hopes of moving toward a smoke-free campus, said Christine Hackman, treasurer of Eta Sigma Gamma, UA’s health education honor society.

Eta Sigma Gamma was inspired by a commercial by TheTruth.com’s anti-tobacco campaign for youths in which a group of smokers “dropped dead” at the end of a flash mob.

Every year during the third week of November, the American Cancer Society encourages all smokers to quit during the Great American Smokeout.

“If you’re not going to quit for good, then try to do it just for that day,” said Faye Royal, tobacco prevention and control coordinator for the Alabama Department of Public Health, in a press release. “Make that attempt, just try, to quit for at least that day.”

More than 45 million Americans are tobacco users, and it’s estimated that 1 billion people worldwide will die in the 21st century from tobacco use, according to the news release.

“Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States,” Royal said.

In Alabama, 7,600 people die each year from tobacco use, and 800 more die from secondhand smoke.

“UA has been making big strides to make the campus smoke-free, and this (flash mob) is another example of how smoking is harmful,” Hackman said.

Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease and about 3,400 lung cancer deaths. Secondhand smoke is to blame for asthma-related problems in up to

1 million children and between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children under

18 months old.

On Thursday, WVUA and a few local radio stations will air success stories by smokers who have quit, Royal said.

Tobacco users can call the Alabama Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free guidance and assistance. The hotline offers counseling and information about replacement tobacco products, such as nicotine patches to those medically eligible. The hotline is available 24 hours, seven days a week, and on the Internet at www.Alabamaquitnow.com

On Thursday, UA’s Office of Health Promotion and Wellness will offer Quitline referral forms, tobacco cessation tools and other resources. Participants can also register to win “cold turkey” sandwiches.

A commemorative exhibit of the publication of the surgeon general’s 1963 report on smoking and health will be in the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library’s Pearce Foyer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

<p>As part of Thursday's 38th annual Great American Smokeout, the University of Alabama's health education honor society will form a flash mob to show their support for a smoke-free campus.</p><p>The flash mob will gather on the Quad near Denny Chimes around 12:20 p.m. The group effort is designed to raise awareness about the negative effects of secondhand smoke. Roughly 135 students on the Quad will drop “dead” from secondhand smoke in hopes of moving toward a smoke-free campus, said Christine Hackman, treasurer of Eta Sigma Gamma, UA's health education honor society.</p><p>Eta Sigma Gamma was inspired by a commercial by TheTruth.com's anti-tobacco campaign for youths in which a group of smokers “dropped dead” at the end of a flash mob.</p><p>Every year during the third week of November, the American Cancer Society encourages all smokers to quit during the Great American Smokeout.</p><p>“If you're not going to quit for good, then try to do it just for that day,” said Faye Royal, tobacco prevention and control coordinator for the Alabama Department of Public Health, in a press release. “Make that attempt, just try, to quit for at least that day.”</p><p>More than 45 million Americans are tobacco users, and it's estimated that 1 billion people worldwide will die in the 21st century from tobacco use, according to the news release.</p><p>“Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States,” Royal said.</p><p>In Alabama, 7,600 people die each year from tobacco use, and 800 more die from secondhand smoke.</p><p> “UA has been making big strides to make the campus smoke-free, and this (flash mob) is another example of how smoking is harmful,” Hackman said. </p><p>Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease and about 3,400 lung cancer deaths. Secondhand smoke is to blame for asthma-related problems in up to </p><p>1 million children and between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children under </p><p>18 months old.</p><p>On Thursday, WVUA and a few local radio stations will air success stories by smokers who have quit, Royal said.</p><p>Tobacco users can call the Alabama Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free guidance and assistance. The hotline offers counseling and information about replacement tobacco products, such as nicotine patches to those medically eligible. The hotline is available 24 hours, seven days a week, and on the Internet at www.Alabamaquitnow.com</p><p>On Thursday, UA's Office of Health Promotion and Wellness will offer Quitline referral forms, tobacco cessation tools and other resources. Participants can also register to win “cold turkey” sandwiches. </p><p>A commemorative exhibit of the publication of the surgeon general's 1963 report on smoking and health will be in the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library's Pearce Foyer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.</p>